KAPA‘A — Sarah Rogers said receiving the Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i award Saturday could serve as a preliminary announcement for this year’s Thanksgiving Day luncheon.
“We’ll have the interfaith Thanksgiving service starting at 10 a.m.,” Rogers said. “Unfortunately, we will still be doing a pick-up-and-take lunch at the All Saints gym, and there will still be deliveries for home-bound residents with reservations from Anahola to Lihu‘e.”
The Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i award was done in-person by a delegation from O‘ahu and a representative from the Interfaith Alliance in Washington, DC, in recognition of the Kapa‘a Interfaith Association’s “challenging religious or political extension in Hawai‘i,” working together to present and serve the community luncheon.
Churches participating in the 2020 luncheon that was awarded recognition include the All Saints Episcopal Church, Happy Science, the Kapa‘a Hongwanji Temple, the Kapa‘a Seventh Day Adventist, the Kapa‘a United Church of Christ, the Kapa‘a Hawaiian Church, the Kapa‘a Jodo Mission, the Lihu‘e Hongwanji Temple and St. Catherine Church.
“This is not just for the homeless,” Rogers said. “This is for everyone. Last year, we received a phone call from an individual from Kekaha who wanted to know if he could drive in for a Thanksgiving meal. We welcome everyone.”
The KIA member churches have been serving Thanksgiving Day lunch for the past 17 years. Last year, in light of the COVID-19 restrictions, there were two sites serving — one at the Kapa‘a Hongwanji for the home deliveries that moved approximately 700 meals to homebound families from Anahola to Lihu‘e, and other at the All Saints gym, where another 700 to 800 meals were distributed to families either walk-up or drive-thru.
Rachel Same, a volunteer who has been serving up Thanksgiving since the event started 17 years ago, said, “We just do what we need to do.”
Rogers explained the Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i makes an award each year. The award the KIA received was announced in December through Zoom.
Saturday, the Interfaith Alliance Hawai‘i group and the Washington representative delivered the crystal in person.
“I’m so excited, my hands are shaky and I’m having a hard time holding this,” Rogers said. “If there are any churches in the Kapa‘a area that are interested in participating with us on Thanksgiving, they’re welcome to call me at 808-822-3473.”
